Certain weeds such as Poa, Polygonum and Setaria are particularly difficult to control. Their full-season competition can reduce crop yields and cause significant economic loss in crop production. Accordingly, a need exists in the art for an improved method for the control of these undesirable plants.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that the combination of a dinitroaniline compound with an imidazolinone compound provides synergistic weed control. In particular, the synergistic herbicidal methods and compositions of this invention provide improved control of pestiferous weeds such as Poa, Polygonum and Setaria.
The present invention provides a method for the synergistic control of undesirable plants such as Poa, Polygonum and Setaria which comprises applying to the locus of said plants, to the foliage or stems of said plants, or to the soil or water containing seeds of said plants a synergistically effective amount of a combination of a dinitroaniline compound selected from the group consisting of pendimethalin, trifluralin, benfluralin, butralin, dinitramine, ethalfluralin, fluazinam, fluchloralin, flumetralin, oryzalin and prodiamine; and at least one imidazolinone compound selected from the group consisting of imazamox, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazethapyr, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazaquin, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazapic, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; and imazapyr, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; and mixtures thereof.
The present invention also provides a synergistic herbicidal composition which comprises an agriculturally acceptable carrier and a synergistically effective amount of a combination of a dinitroaniline compound selected from the group consisting of pendimethalin, trifluralin, benfluralin, butralin, dinitramine, ethalfluralin, fluazinam, fluchloralin, flumetralin, oryzalin and prodiamine; and at least one imidazolinone compound selected from the group consisting of imazamox, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazethapyr, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazaquin, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazapic, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; imazapyr, the R isomer thereof or a salt thereof; and mixtures thereof.